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Information for participants (A-Z)

The 2017 UN Climate Change Conference will take place from 6 to 17 November at the World Conference Center Bonn which is located in Bonn, Germany, the seat of the UN Climate Change Secretariat. The conference will be convened under the Presidency of Fiji.

The secretariat, as host of the conference, is working with the Government of Germany, the State of North Rhine-Westphalia and the City of Bonn to make all the necessary arrangements for the conference.

While all participants are strongly recommended to use the public transport and special shuttle services provided to go to the Bonn Zone, participants travelling by private vehicles need to disembark their vehicles at the main entrance of the Park and walk to the main entrance of the Bonn Zone. The Government of Germany will provide special transport service to Heads of State and Government only from the entrance of the Park to the main entrance of the Bonn Zone.

No parking is allowed for vehicles at the main entrance of the Park and parking of bicycles is only allowed in the designated areas.

There is a special lane for VVIPs (HOS/G) and VIPs (Ministers) at both main and secondary entrances. All other participants need to follow the regular lanes and go through the security screening procedures.

The Business Centre is providing services to delegations on commercial basis, such as office stationery, equipment and courier services. It is located in Bula 3 between the Cafeteria and the Media Centre.

Water dispensers available throughout the conference venue may be used with reusable bottles that will be distributed to all registered participants free of charge at the Information Desks at both conference zones. If you should lose your personal bottle you may wish to buy a bottled drink on site or at a nearby supermarket and refill that bottle with the water available through dispensers.

The dispensers at the World Conference Center Bonn and the UN Campus will be fed from large water bottles, while the fountains set up at the temporary structures of both conference zones will be connected to the water grid of the city of Bonn. The Bonn water provider, Stadtwerke Bonn GmbH, has attested that the tap water meets the official quality standards and is subject to periodic controls.

Childcare services during COP 23

The City of Bonn is operating a municipal youth club/activity centre for children of COP 23 participants. The club will be located in close proximity to the conference, just opposite the Bonn Zone entrance at Rheinaue Park. The youth club, named ‘Quasi’ will offer activities and games for children aged 6 to 14. It will be open between 6 and 17 November, from 9:00 to 14:30 hrs. This will be a great opportunity for kids to make new friends and enjoy activities that include table football, pool, board games, indoor climbing, etc. Childcare specialists (German-speaking) will be on site to monitor and care for the children. A visit to the centre is free of charge, and snacks are available around lunchtime for a small fee.

Please note that the number of slots is limited. As long as slots are available, children may also be registered for a visit on the same day.

The Daily Programme for the conference will continue to be made available in electronic form only. A PDF version will be posted each morning on this website.

Daily Subsistence Allowance (DSA)

As at 1 October 2017, UN DSA for Bonn, Germany is EUR 238 (USD 281).

Dissemination of information

To reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emissions generated in connection with the conference, and with a view to further reducing paper usage and wastage, participants are asked to refrain from distributing any printed material, such as publications and information related to side events and exhibits, other meetings or future conferences. Please note that the secretariat strongly encourages the electronic dissemination of information.

Parties and observers can display visual electronic materials (videos, slideshows, images etc.) to promote their climate action on two screens at the Climate Change Resources Corner. Posters to promote official side events and exhibits may be displayed exclusively on the poster boards at the side events and exhibits area at the Bonn Zone.

The selection criteria of official side events and exhibits routinely include the commitment of side event organizers and exhibitors to disseminate all documentation in electronic form only. Side event organizers and exhibitors are requested to upload electronic files on the UNFCCC website, post QR codes on their exhibit booths and in side event rooms and promote their websites and mobile applications, if any. The secretariat will take note of the amount of printed materials disseminated at each side event and take this into consideration as a selection criterion for side event applications for future sessions.

Side event schedules will be announced through the UNFCCC website and the free UNFCCC mobile application “Negotiator”. Information on other events may also be posted on the UNFCCC website.

In this context, please note that daily updates on the negotiations, such as the Earth Negotiations Bulletin, ECO and Third World Network, will be disseminated in electronic form only. To facilitate access, as per past practice the secretariat will include web links to these updates in the Daily Programme. The publishing organizations may wish to display a copy with QR codes at their exhibit stands.

The Climate Change Studio provides an additional option for delegates to disseminate information, namely in the form of interviews that will be broadcast and archived on the UNFCCC website.

Poken is a user-friendly platform for collecting digital information and networking. Participants can receive a personal Poken device at no charge at the Poken distribution counter located in the Bonn Zone, in the exhibition area (Area F). Once a user registers the device (sets up an account), s/he can easily collect (load onto the device) digital information at official exhibits, recent UNFCCC publications and the daily reports of observer organizations. Poken device registration also allows participants to exchange digital business cards by bringing their devices in contact. Collected information can be loaded onto personal computers. As participants have no use for the device after the conference, they are cordially requested to return the device at the Poken distribution counter on their last day of attendance and to thereby make the conference more sustainable.

In order to respond to the high interest in participating in COP 23, an inclusive approach to the numbers of total admissions has been taken with regard to the full two-week period of the Conference. It must be recognized, however, that any facility has space limitations that this will have important implications for the safety and security of participants. Depending on the levels of participation on any given day, and especially during peak periods, either the Bonn Zone or the Bula Zone may approach full capacity. While everything will be done to avoid such occurrences, it cannot be ruled out that the security authorities will be obliged to limit or restrict access to the Bonn or Bula Zones in times of over-crowding. Special attention will be given to communicating information on such occurrences to minimize inconvenience to participants. The secretariat and the Government of Germany count on the understanding of all participants, recognizing the paramount importance of ensuring the safety of all persons in the conference premises.

In recognition of Health, Safety and Environment concerns, the United Nations is committed to providing and maintaining a safe and healthy working environment for all conference participants. Objective of this policy is to provide a smoke-free environment in all United Nations premises.

Smoking is therefore not allowed inside the conference premises. Designated smoking area(s) are available outside the conference premises.

Nursing rooms

Nursing rooms are available both in the Bula and Bonn Zone. In both zones the nursing rooms are located in the entrance/registration areas as shown in the directional signage throughout the conference premises.

Additional details are included in this information note to Parties. For information on side events and exhibits please refer to “Organization of side events and exhibits” below.

Official documents

In order to minimize the consumption of resources, participants are encouraged to rely on digital versions of official documents which can be downloaded from the UNFCCC website, and to abstain from requesting printed copies. A printed copy of an official document can nonetheless be requested at the Documents Counter.

Please find here further information on services offered for different religious denominations.

Shipment pick-up

The Shipment Centre is the central shipment-handling point at COP 23. The conference venue is subject to special security requirements; for this reason, shipments and consignments cannot be sent via carriers to exhibitors or conference participants directly. All shipments must be sent via the Shipping Centre. Packages and consignments will undergo security checks prior to being forwarded on to the Bonn Zone and Bula Zone.

After a package has been received and security checks completed, it will be delivered to the Consignment Service in the relevant zones where it can then be collected from the issuing point by the intended recipient.

A detailed guide containing all information and required shipment labels is available here.

The Shipment Centre starts operating on 9 October, 2017 at 8:00 hrs. Shipments will not be accepted before this date.

From 2 November, 2017 in Bonn Zone and from 4 November, 2017 in Bula Zone, the Consignment desks will be open as follows:

COP 23 will host many side events and exhibits by Parties, non-Party stakeholders and the UNFCCC secretariat. These events and exhibits will take place in the Bonn Zone of the official conference venue, making it a major hub for showcasing climate action, knowledge-sharing, capacity-building and networking.

For information on the application procedure for admitted observer organizations, for Parties who partner with admitted observer organizations and for other entities please click here.

Information on labeling and endorsement of events and initiatives by the COP 23 Presidency is available on the COP 23 Presidency's website.

Please visit this website for comprehensive information on sustainability.

Transport during COP 23

By courtesy of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia and the German Federal Government, transportation by bus, tram, metro and regional trains will be free of charge in Bonn, Cologne and in between, including the Ahr valley, for all registered participants who are registered for either the Bonn or Bula Zone. This does not include registered technical staff. The tickets for free transportation will be valid from 4 November to 18 November 2017. The transportation tickets will be distributed by the Information Desks at both conference zones. For further details regarding transportation during COP 23, please visit this website.

In addition, 600 bicycles will be available for free rental and use within the city - click here for details.

For Bonn residents: Please click here (German) or here (English) for detailed information on traffic and mobility during the COP issued by the Bonn Police.

All foreign delegates entering the Federal Republic of Germany must have a valid passport.

Participants requiring a visa should contact the appropriate consular authorities well in advance of the Conference to ensure sufficient time for processing. The issuance of a Schengen visa may take up to two weeks from the date of submission of the visa application. To facilitate the issuance of a visa, a copy of the acknowledgement letter from the Online Registration System must be attached to the visa application.

For more information, please visit the English, French or Spanish language pages of the German Federal Foreign Office and the website of the German mission where you are planning to apply for your visa.

Participants are advised that obtaining a Schengen visa is contingent on the participant securing comprehensive insurance that covers the entire period or periods requested.